The Bass All-Stars Phoenix show, held at Rawhide Event Center on August 16th, brought all the wubz and kept me jumping late into the night. The night started strong with local talent and continued to build until the last drop. Phoenix was the midway point of Shaq’s Summer of Bass Tour. So even though you missed an epic set, there is plenty of time for you to make up for it.
The night started with local artist FÄMM, winner of the Sunbar DJ Competition. Minutes into his set I understood why he was selected. With heavy beats, smooth transitions, and pulsating energy, he was the perfect way to welcome the crowd to the show. I only wish his set was longer.
Next on the roster was RZKRT b2b Celo, two up-and-coming artists I was not familiar with. They threw down a nasty set that had some real big-bass energy behind it. They kept the crowd on their toes from start to end, mixing crowd favorites like “Cinema” and closing things down with a remix of “Numb” by Linkin Park.
Jkyl & Hyde kick-started with the Super Mario Kart racing countdown into a fat drop, and followed up with “Jackpot”. He may have been my favorite of the night, mixing in bangers like “Hello”, “How Deep Is Your Love”, and “Around The World.” The best was an overlap of “Better Off Alone” by Alice DJ and “No Broke Boys” by Disco Lines. This is an artist to watch and one I hope to see again very soon.
If you like Ghastly, then you’ll love his evolved form, GHENGAR. He is heavier, darker, and ready to break rails. Paying homage to classics like “Better Off Alone” and “Hollaback Girl”, but transforming them with a weird and deep bass sound. Hyping up the crowd with “Go Insane” by DJ Isaac and following with the filthiest of drops. What impressed me the most were the vocals that GHENGAR provided, screaming at the top of his lungs in a way that would give any heavy-metal singer a run for their money. He made sure the mosh pit warmed up for what was to come.
The stage for Bass All-Stars contained 360 degrees worth of screens. So whether you were center stage or behind the artist, you could see what was going on. The screen was kept stage-level until Shaq made his appearance and then rose to allow a full view from any angle. Overall, it created a dramatic effect, but it would have been nice if Shaq had been able to move more and DJ from multiple angles. For those not in front of the stage, you instead relied on the screens.
With the screens up, the countdown concluded, it was time for DJ Diesel to do his thing. With Shaq, you can always expect some Excision mixed in, and he did not disappoint with “Throwing Elbows.” Just as many artists have their spirit animal and feature them in their visuals, Shaq was no exception. Gorillas galore filled the screens while Shaq asked for crowd participation while mimicking Queen’s famous “Ay-Oh” improvisation. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to mosh with a 7’1″, 300+ lb NBA Champion, then just attend one of his shows because he loves the pit. He finished things off with “Rock That Body”, “We Are The Champions”, and ended with “All I Do Is Win.”
Alison Wonderland made the game-winning shot to close the night. Creating a bassier version of “Summertime Sadness” and mixing in “Flip It” by Levity, she had an overwhelming aura about her. From “I Want U” to her most recent collab with Subtronics, “No One Does It Like,” she proved why she is an international success. Her beats reverberated from every wall until the clock reached zero.
All in all, it was a great night. The crowd was amped but friendly and doing their best to stay hydrated in the Arizona heat. While there were a few basketball hoops set up as decorations, everything else was a bit more barebones. I would have liked to have seen at least one arcade basketball game, or anything else that was on theme. But I was really there for the bass, and I received that in spades! Our photographers were on-site as well, so check out our gallery and see if we captured you and your squad on camera.